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Best TV Moms of All Time

April 25, 2011 4:20 AM

From traditional June Cleaver to sassy Peggy Bundy, there are lots of small-screen moms to applaud. Let’s take the time to celebrate the fabulous moms we’ve watched parent through the years. The awards for the best TV moms of all time go to…

By Ysolt Usigan

credit: AP

Carol Brady: Strength in Numbers

With or without a nanny, we’ll give props to any woman who’s raising six children (seven if you count Cousin Oliver). The Brady Bunch‘s Carol Brady managed to have a special bond with each kid, and always knew just what to say. The only thing we have trouble understanding is why she never lost it on any of them.

credit: AP

Peggy Bundy: The Spunkiest

Married With Children‘s Peggy Bundy is the kind of mom we all shamefully wish we could be. She made eating bon-bons her job, and managed to control her husband with utter hilarity. Plus, her style was decades ahead of the rest of the fabulous moms out there. We can’t help but envy her.

credit: AP

June Cleaver: The Classic Housewife

Don’t crucify us for saying this, but June Cleaver of Leave It to Beaver made our list because — well — she’s the epitome of the stay-at-home mom… It was the time before two incomes were absolutely necessary (thanks a lot, college tuitions), and pastimes like needlepoint and arranging tea roses were the norm for any housewife.

credit: AP

Clair Huxtable: The Power Woman

The Cosby Show‘s Clair Huxtable is the mom to be reckoned with. Not only did she juggle being a high-powered attorney, she raised five children. Doing it all with a partner-in-crime, funny dad Cliff Huxtable, we envy the relationship she had with every member in her family, and her superwoman ways. (It seemed like she could win any argument with her husband.)

credit: AP

Angela Bower: Boss Lady

She might’ve crossed the employer-employee line by eventually marrying her housekeeper, but we’re still a fan of Who’s the Boss‘ Angela Bower. Not only did the advertising executive run a tight ship (some might say uptight) — both in her home and office — she also knew how to juggle her career with being a mother. In fact, early in the series, she branched out to start her own advertising firm to have a better work/life balance.

credit: CBS.com

Christine Campbell: The Divorcee

We think Christine Campbell of The New Adventures of Old Christine deserves a round of applause for enduring one awkward mom moment: when your ex-husband starts dating a younger woman… And a woman that has the same name, dubbing you “old [insert your name here]” while we’re at it? That would set most of us off.

credit: AP

Roseanne Connor: Just Trying to Make It

Ignore the fact that during the last season of Roseanne, the family wins millions in the lottery, Roseanne Connor (pre-millionaire status) was just like most American moms. She clipped coupons, struggled to raise two problematic daughters, and would fight with her husband about real issues. She reminds us that we’re not alone — we all have issues.

credit: AP

Cindy Walsh: Won’t Spoil Them Rotten

Cindy Walsh of Beverly Hills 90210 (the first coming) landed a spot on our list simply because she’s down-to-earth. Although the stay-at-home mom was raising her teenage kids in the lap of luxury, she made sure to keep real life in perspective. Brandon and Brenda were never spoiled. In fact, they had to get (gulp) jobs! Okay, so it’s not like this mom defied odds — but in that zip code, that’s pretty extraordinary.